Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has closely guarded details of her private life, but over the weekend she issued a somber announcement that she and her longtime husband plan to divorce.

“It is with a heavy heart that today, after much thought and consideration, I am announcing that my husband and I have decided to divorce after 44 years of marriage,” Preckwinkle said in a statement. “This is a mutual decision. Please respect my privacy, as well as that of my family. There will be no further comment on this matter.”

The news that Preckwinkle is divorcing her husband, Zeus Preckwinkle, comes as she prepares to run for a second term. Preckwinkle faces no Democratic opposition in the March 18 Democratic primary and so far no Republican is running against her in November 2014. The news release was issued late Friday, a common time for politicians to announce news they hope doesn't find a large audience.

Preckwinkle was elected to her high-profile post in November 2010 and makes many public appearances, but it’s rare to see her out with her husband, a recently retired math and science teacher at The Ancona School in the Kenwood neighborhood. The couple has two adult children.